Empathy ability and influencing factors among pediatric residents in China: a mixed-methods study

Abstract

Background

Empathy is one of the fundamental factors enhancing the therapeutic effects of physician–patient relationships, but there has been no relevant research in China on the pediatric resident physicians’ capacity for empathy or the influencing factors.

Methods

A mixed-methods study was undertaken. The student version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy was used to assess 181 postgraduate residents at Shanghai Children’s Medical Center and Shanghai Children’s Hospital. Differences in empathy ability among pediatric resident physicians of different genders and specialties were analyzed using independent sample t-tests and Mann–Whitney U tests. A one-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the differences in empathy ability at different educational levels and years of medical residency training. Seven third-year postgraduate pediatric residents from Shanghai Children’s Medical Center participated in semi-structured interviews exploring the influencing factors. We analyzed the interview transcripts using thematic analysis.

Results

The scale was completed by 154 pediatric residents. No statistically significant differences in empathy were found between educational level, postgraduate year, gender, or specialty. The factors influencing empathy in doctor–patient communication included the person who accompanied the child to see the doctor, how the children cooperated with doctors for medical treatment, the volume of pediatric outpatient and emergency visits, and the physician’s ability to withstand pressure. All interviewed resident physicians regarded learning empathy as important but rarely spent extra time learning it.

Conclusions

The evaluation results of resident physicians on changes in empathy after improving clinical abilities vary according to their understanding of empathy, and the work environment has an important impact on pediatricians’ empathy ability. Their empathy score is relatively low, and this requires exploration and intervention.